New rules aim to foster open debate, protect academic freedom, and promote constructive discussion
Over 3000 arrests at universities due to pro-Palestinian encampments this spring
Projections on buildings and permanent substances use prohibited
University of Pennsylvania issued new temporary protesting rules
University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has issued new temporary rules around protesting, including banning encampments and overnight demonstrations on campus following a wave of protests during the academic year 2023-2024. The new rules prohibit encampments and overnight demonstrations in any University location, indoor or outdoor. Projections on buildings and semipermanent or permanent substances used on university surfaces are also banned.
The new rules were established after pro-Palestinian encampments popped up at Penn and dozens of other universities across the country, leading to thousands of arrests and mass disruptions to the end of the school year. Penn arrested 33 people involved with such protests.
The temporary rules will be reviewed by a faculty-led committee during the next academic year. The new rules aim to foster open and rigorous debate, protect academic freedom and free speech, and promote constructive discussion on challenging issues.
Scores of encampments protesting Israel's actions in Gaza have sprung up at universities across the country this spring, leading to over 3000 arrests since mid-April. The protests led to thousands of arrests and mass disruptions, with some institutions moving the last few weeks of classes online due to safety and security concerns.
The University aims to ensure the safety of its community and protect individuals' health and property. Unauthorized overnight activities will be considered trespassing and addressed. Protests that prevent speakers on campus from expressing their views or stop other community members from hearing or seeing the speaker are also forbidden.
It is important to note that these rules do not infringe upon free speech, but rather aim to maintain order and safety on campus while allowing for open expression and constructive discussion.
The University of Pennsylvania issued new temporary guidelines on campus demonstrations that specifically prohibit encampments and refer to encampments as banned.
Controversy began at Penn in September when the Palestine Writes literary festival was held on campus, which critics said included speakers with a history of making antisemitic remarks.
The move comes after a review of procedures following a tumultuous spring semester that included pro-Palestinian encampments on campuses, including Penn’s own encampment which was up for more than two weeks and eventually removed by Penn and city police.
The new guidelines state that encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location, regardless of space (indoor or outdoor), and unauthorized overnight activities will be considered trespassing and addressed.
Updating the procedures was a recommendation made by both the University’s Task Force on Antisemitism and the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community.
Accuracy
Encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location, indoor or outdoor.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only mentions the pro-Palestinian encampment and not any other encampments that may have taken place on campus. It also uses emotional manipulation by describing the encampment as being up for 'more than two weeks' and 'eventually removed by Penn and city police'. The article also implies that the new guidelines are a response to the pro-Palestinian encampment, but it does not provide any evidence to support this claim.
Controversy began at Penn in September when the Palestine Writes literary festival was held on campus.
To ensure the safety of the Penn community and to protect the health and property of individuals, encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location, regardless of space (indoor or outdoor).
Pro-Palestinian students and faculty said the university didn’t do enough to protect their rights, and the encampment was erected at the end of April.
The move comes as Penn and other universities across the country begin reviewing their procedures after a tumultuous spring semester that included the installation of pro-Palestinian encampments on campuses.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains several examples of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric. It references the university's task force and previous reports made by them as justification for the new guidelines. Additionally, there are instances where the authors use inflammatory language such as 'pro-Palestinian encampments' and 'encampments that were up for more than two weeks and eventually removed by Penn and city police'. The article does not present a balanced view of the situation, instead focusing on the negative aspects of the protests. However, no formal fallacies were found in the text itself.
The move comes as Penn and other universities across the country begin reviewing their procedures after a tumultuous spring semester that included the installation of pro-Palestinian encampments on campuses.
To ensure the safety of the Penn community and to protect the health and property of individuals, encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location, regardless of space (indoor or outdoor).
The new guidelines also repeat rules already in place, such as requiring 48 hours' notice for a demonstration and prohibiting climbing on or engaging in other protest activity on Penn sculptures or statues.
Bias
(80%)
The article mentions the history of antisemitic remarks at the Palestine Writes literary festival and the controversy surrounding it. The authors also mention that some have used the phrase 'from river to the sea, Palestine shall be free' as a rallying cry for the destruction of Israel. These statements could be perceived as having a bias against Jewish students and pro-Israel speech.
some have used the phrase ‘from river to the sea, Palestine shall be free’ as a rallying cry for the destruction of Israel
The Palestine Writes literary festival, which critics said included speakers with a history of making antisemitic remarks
Penn has implemented new temporary guidelines for campus demonstrations and initiated a review of the Guidelines on Open Expression
The email was signed by Interim Penn President Larry Jameson, Provost John Jackson, Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and deans from all 12 Penn undergraduate and graduate schools
Any member of the Penn community or Penn-affiliated organization wishing to schedule an event, such as a demonstration, protest, rally or guest speaker on campus must follow the new guidelines
A faculty task force will be charged with reviewing the Guidelines on Open Expression and Temporary Standards and Procedures for Campus Events and Demonstrations
Accuracy
Encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any University location
Existing Guidelines on Open Expression were last updated in 1993
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position against the new guidelines. The author quotes a statement from Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine condemning the new guidelines and implies that they were published without prior input from relevant parties. However, they do not mention that this is a common practice for temporary guidelines or that there was a call for increased clarity and clarification of existing policies in final reports from task forces. The article also uses emotional manipulation by quoting the student group's statement condemning the new guidelines and implying that they are an attempt to silence students, without providing any evidence to support this claim.
The student intifada does NOT exist in a vacuum. The University has sought to clamp down on our freedom of expression and our right to protest. SHAME ON YOU PENN.
Instead, the dystopian restrictions have one goal in mind: stop protesting for Palestine.
The guidelines were published without prior input from the Committee on Open Expression.
Fallacies
(80%)
The authors make an appeal to authority by stating that the request for 'increased clarity' in the guidelines was a 'priority recommendation' in the final reports from both the University's Task Force on Antisemitism and the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community. They also mention that numerous existing policies and guidelines were used to create these new temporary guidelines.
]The request for 'increased clarity' in the guidelines was a 'priority recommendation' in the final reports from both the University's Task Force on Antisemitism and the Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community.[
The temporary guidelines have been 'sourced from numerous existing policies and guidelines.'
Bias
(85%)
The article contains several examples of ideological bias. The authors highlight the new guidelines for campus demonstrations and emphasize that they were created in response to increased protests and tensions on campus, specifically mentioning an encampment on College Green that lasted sixteen days. The authors also quote a statement from Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine condemning the new temporary guidelines, suggesting that they were created with the intention of stopping protesting for Palestine. Additionally, the article mentions that pro-Palestinian groups posted messages on university buildings which were denounced by Penn as antisemitic and vile. The authors also note that encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted on campus, and that non-Penn students participating in protests must abide by Penn's Open Expression Guidelines as well as any additional instructions from university officials. These examples demonstrate a clear ideological bias in favor of the university's position on campus demonstrations and against pro-Palestinian groups.
Credit: Abhiram Juvvadi Penn has implemented new temporary guidelines for campus demonstrations and initiated a review of the Guidelines on Open Expression...
During the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, protesters chalked messages on the pavement surrounding College Green...
In the email, administrators state that the updated guidelines are a response to requests throughout the year from members of the Penn community for University leadership to clarify and update their guidance and policies related to campus events and demonstrations.
The new guidelines make the distinction that all events at Penn are ‘presumed to be private’...
The temporary guidelines also address the participation of non-Penn students in on-campus protests, clarifying that ‘non-University affiliated persons may have less expansive rights of open expression in University locations than those who are members of the Penn community.’
The temporary guidelines prohibit the use of ‘non-water soluble, semi-permanent, and permanent substances, including spray-chalk’ on any University surface...
The University of Pennsylvania (Penn) issued new temporary rules around protesting, including banning encampments and overnight demonstrations in any University location.
The new rules prohibit projections on buildings and semipermanent or permanent substances used on university surfaces.
Accuracy
Encampments and overnight demonstrations are not permitted in any university location, indoor or outdoor.
New rules come after police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the university and arrested 33 people.
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